Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a vehicle lighting structure. More specifically, the present invention relates to a vehicle lighting structure having a first lamp assembly and a second lamp assembly movable relative to one another, the second lamp assembly having an active lighting element that emits light to the first lamp assembly illuminating a passive light element within the first lamp assembly.
Background Information
Most vehicles typically include various lamp assemblies for illuminating exterior areas about the vehicle. For example, most vehicles have a pair of vehicle headlamp assemblies in the front of the vehicle and a pair of vehicle tail light assemblies in the rear of the vehicle. Vehicle lamp assemblies typically function as parking lamps, daytime running lamps, fog lights, off-road utility lights as well as various other signaling devices. In addition to providing light, tail light assemblies can also be decorative with respect to the vehicle. Many modern automotive vehicle lamp assemblies have begun using light emitting diodes (LEDs) as a form of lighting device. Automakers often combine two separate lighting devices for lamp units, such as using a light pipe and a reflector structure to provide an aesthetically pleasing illuminated appearance along the edges of a lamp assembly. In the case of vehicle tail light assemblies, it has also been increasingly popular to mount the vehicle tail light assemblies onto a movable panel of a vehicle, such as a trunk lid or a rear door.